Longwall mining installation with guide cover plates

ABSTRACT

A mineral mining installation composed of a longwall conveyor with a plough guided on the mineral face side of the conveyor. The plough has a sword plate which extends beneath the conveyor and is attached to a drive chain guided in upper and lower guide channels formed at the other side of the conveyor. C-shaped cover plates are attached to the other side of the conveyor via spacers to laterally close off the channels and the lower flanges of the cover plates extend completely under the lower guide channel to seal off this channel from the floor. A laterally-open gap is formed between the lower flanges of the cover plates and the side of the conveyor and a reduced portion of the sword plate extends through this gap. The sword plate is connected to guide means guided in the lower channels and various components, such as bars welded to the lower end of barrier plates, can be used to cooperate with the guide means.

United States Patent 11 1 Hauschopp in] 3,770,321 1 1 Nov. 6, 1973 LONGWALL MINING INSTALLATION WITH GUIDE COVER PLATES [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Gewerkschait Eisenhutte Westfalia,

Westfalia, Germany 221 Filed: Mar. 10, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 233,426

Alois Hauschopp, LangermGermany [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 23, 1971 Germany P 21 14 034.1

[52] US. Cl. 299/34,]198/204 [51] Int. Cl. E2lc 27/35. [58] Field of Search 299/32, 34, 43 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,164,412 1/1965. Hauschopp et a1. 299/34 3,337,269 8/1967 Mennekes et al..... 299/43 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,217,309 5/1966 Germany 299/34 1,521,011

4/1968 France 299/43 1,200,660 7/1970 Great Britain 299/34 Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser AttorneyC. Yardley Chittick et al.

(57] ABSTRACT A mineral mining installation composed of 'a' longwall conveyor with a plough guided on the mineral face side of'the conveyor. The plough has a sword plate which extends beneath the conveyor and is attached to a drive chain guided in upper and lower guide channels formed at the other side of the conveyor. C-shaped cover plates are attached to the other side of the conveyor via spacers to laterally close off the channels and the lower flanges of the cover plates extend completely under thelower guide channel to seal ofi this channel from the floor. A laterally-open gap is formed between the lower flanges of the cover plates andthe side of the conveyor and a reduced portion of the sword plate extends through this gap. The sword plate is connected to guide means guided in the lower channels and various components, such as bars welded to the lower end of barrierplates, can be used to cooperate with the guide means.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEDNUV 6 1915 M 3.770.821 SHEET 10F 3 PATENTEDnnv slms 3770 321 SHEET 20E 3 FIG-2'.

PATENTEDMUY 6:973 31770.321

SHEET 30F 3 LONGWALL MINING INSTALLATION WITH GUIDE COVER PLATES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to mineral mining installations.

It is known to construct a mineral mining installation with a longwall conveyor having a plough guided along the mineral face side of the conveyor. Theplough has a sword plate which extends beneath the conveyor and is guided at the side of the conveyor remote from the mineral face. The plough is moved along the conveyor with the aid of a chain guided in channelsformed one above another at the side of the conveyor remote from the mineral face. Cover plate are attached to the conveyor'to close off and form the channels. In some installations the lower channel receives guide members attachedto the sword plate and these guide members connect with the sword plate via a gap'formed at the lower end of the lower channel and open toward the floor of the working. Examples of such installations are shown in German Patent'Specification No. 976,925 and in German Patent Specification No. 1,217,309.

This type of installation suffers primarily from the disadvantage that it is possible for the drive chain to be come jammed in the gap should the lower run of the chain sag. This is more liable to happen where the floor of the working is uneven. I A general object of the present invention is to pro- SUMMARY OFTI-IE INVENTION e According to the invention there is provided a mineral mining installation comprising a conveyor, a mineral winning machine guided for movementalong one side wall of the conveyor, the machine having a sword plate extending beneath the conveyor, cover plates connected to the other side wall of the conveyor and forming upper and lower guide channels, the cover plates having portions which extend beneath the lower guide channelto close off the latter in relation to the floor with a gap being formed above the positions of the cover plates, said .gap being open laterally inwardly towards the one side wall of the conveyor and receiving the sword plate or a continuation thereof therein, and guide means connected to the sword plate and being guided within said lower guide channel.

A drive chain would be connected to the sword plate and guided in the guide channels. The lower guide channel is only open to the gap which is not disposed facing the floor. This gap preferably receives a reduced portion of the sword plate and hence there is no longer any damage that the chain could become jammed.

Preferably barrier plates are attached to the other side of the conveyor, i.e. the side remote from the mineral face. a

The cover plates can be attached to the barrier plate or to the other side wall of the conveyor through the intermediary of spacers so that the upper and lower guide channels are formed above and below said spacers respectively. The spacers may be formed integrally with the cover plates otherwise combined therewith in a construction unit of E-shaped cross-sectional profile.

The guide means may be shaped to extend over a complementary guidesurface in the lower guide channel in a hook-like manner. This guide surface can be formed in a variety of ways such as by bars attached to the lower edge portion of the barrier plates or to the side wall of the conveyor by bent portions of the barrier plates, or by part of the side wall of the conveyor. Where the barrier plates have bent portions which provide a complementary guide surface for the guide means reinforcing inserts can be provided between the merely serve to define the guide channels.

Preferably'the portions of the coverplates which close the lower guide channels in relation to the floor are flanges which extend laterally between the bottoms of the barrier plates.

The barrier plates can be dispensed with or still provided and the'bars attached directly to the side wall of the conveyor. Preferably if this construction is adopted the bars should be received in a recess within the conveyor side wall. Where the'bars are attached to the bar rier plates these bars can be conveniently welded to the barrier plates. In one formeach of the bars is 'of rectangular cross-section and is attached to a lower side edge portion of the associated barrier plate so as to extend laterally outwardly from the conveyor. In another form each of the bars is of rectangular cross section and is attached to the lower end of the associated barrier plate to form a T-shaped cross-sectional profile therewith, the other side wall of the conveyor being provided with a recess which accommodates the parts of the bars which extend towards the .conveyor. The latter construction is particularly robust since the guiding forces can be transferred directly to the conveyor side wall.

Also the T-shaped assembly composed of a barrierplate attachedto a bar can be used in two alternative positions. Thus, when the portion of the bar providing the guide surface becomes worn the assembly can be detached from the conveyor and re-assembled in the opposite position to provide a fresh guide surface.

-In another construction the side walls of the conveyor have outwardly extending upper and lower flanges and define further channels at the outside thereof. The guide means may extend into the lower of these further channels defined by the other side wall and the complementary guide surface is then formed by the upper face of the lower flange. Barrier plates may still be'attached to the other side wall'but the barrier plates preferably terminate at the central region of the side wall whereat a V-shaped groove is formed.

The invention may be understood more readily and I various other features of the invention may become more apparent from consideration of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 depicting another modified guiding arrangement; and

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 depicting a further modified guiding arrangement and a modified conveyor side wall.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a mineral mining installation which has a scraper chain conveyor with side walls and a floor therebetween. The conveyor'is constructed from individual channel sections joinedend-to-end in known manner. Each channel section is formed from two sigma-shaped side walls 10,10 connected as by welding to a floor 11. A scraper-chain assembly is circulated along the conveyor and is entrained around drums disposed at the ends of the conveyor. For the sake of clarity the scraper-chain asback and forth along the conveyor and the plates 14 serve to support the machine 15. The machine 15 is provided with face cutting tools 16, a roof cutting tool 18 and a floor cutting floor 17.

The machine 15 is provided in known manner with a sword plate 19 composed of a number of pivotably interconnected plates. The sword plate 19 extends beneath the conveyor and adjacent the floor 31 of the working and the sword plate has guide means which is received in a guide channel formed at the goaf or stowage side of the conveyor. A drive chain is also guided for movement at this side of the conveyor and this chain is attached to the guide means 20 so as to drive the machine 15 along the conveyor.

Barrier plates 21 are attached to the side walls 10 of the channel sections of theconveyor. i.e. on the stowage side wall of the conveyor. The barrier plates 21 each have an upper portion 21 which is bent outwardly. The plates 21 are secured to the side walls 10 with the aid of securing devices having screws 22 with their heads accommodated in the central V-shaped groove 23 at the outside of the walls 10.

Cover plates of generally C-shaped cross-section are secured to the barrier plates 21 with the aid of the same securing devices. More particularly, spacers 24 are disposed between the barrier plates 21 and the cover plates 25 and nuts 26 engage the outside of the plates 25 through washers and the nuts 26 threadably mate with the screws 22. The spacers 24 may each extend along the entire length of a conveyor channel section or else several spaced-apart spacers 24 may be allocated to each channel section.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, bars 27 are welded to outside of the plates 21 at the lower edges thereof so as to extend outwardly therefrom. The bars 27 have a rectangular cross-section and preferably each bar 27 extends along the entire length of a conveyor channel section or thereabouts. The bars 27 are disposed at about the same vertical height as the lower flanges 10a of the side wall 10.

The cover plates 25 have upper and lower portions 25" and 25, respectively, which define guide channels 32,29 each formed between the spacers 24 and the associated portion 25', 25". The portion 25' of each plate '25 is somewhat longer than the portion 25" and extends laterally beneath the associated barrier plate 21. A gap 28 is thus formed between the lower edge of each barrier plate 21 and the bottom of side walls 10 and the portion 25 of the associated cover plate 25. The sword plate 19 has a portion 19" of reduced thickness which extends through the gap 28. In this particular arrangement the guide means is in the form of one or more shaped members 20 adjoining the portion 19' of the sword plate 19 and guided in the guide channel 29. The or each member 20 is attached to the chain for driving the machine 15 and this chain has its return run guided in the channel 32. The upper faces of the bars 27 forrri complementary guiding surfaces for these members 20. The or each member 20 has a projection 30 which extends over the complementary surfaces of the bars 27 and towards the plates 21 in the manner of a hook. This is found to provide particularly good guidance and the channel 29 ispractically sealed in relation to the floor 31 so that the drive chain is prevented from becoming displaced from the channel 29.

As represented in FIG. 2, the spacers 24 may be welded as at 23 to the inner faces of the cover plates In'the modified arrangement shown in FIG. 3 the bar-- rier plates 21 are'each bent outwardly away from the side walls 10 at their lower ends. The bent portions, denoted 21", are inclined at about 307-45 relative to the main body of the plates 21 and are functionally analagous to thebars 27 in the arrangement shown in FIG. 2. Inserts 33 can be provided between the portions 21 and the walls 10 in order to reinforce the portions 21". These inserts 33 may be welded to the portions 21". The sword plate 19 again has a reduced portion which extends through the gap 28 between the lower edges of the portions 21" and the inserts 33 and'the lower portions 25' of the cover plates 25. The reduced portion of the sword plate 19 ajoins one or more guide members 20 received in the guide channel 29. The, or each, member 20 is formed with an inclined face 20' which corresponds to the portions 21" of the plates 21. The outer faces of the portions 21" form complementary guide surfaces for the member or members 20. Instead of providing the barrier plates 21 with angularly bent portions it is also possible to. provide curvilinear bent portions to the same end.

In the further modified arrangement shown in FIG. 4, bars 40 are welded to the lower edges of the barrier plates 21 so that the resultant assembly has a T-shaped profile. The bars 40 thus each have an inwardly directed portion 40 and an outwardly directed portion 40". A recess 41 is provided in the lower outer portion of each side wall 10 adjacent the lower flange 10a.

The recesses 41 serve to receive the inwardlydirected portions 40 of the bars 40. As in the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the reduced portion of the sword plate 19 adjoins one or more guide members 20 provided with a projection 30 extending in hook-like mannet over the outwardly-directed portions of the bars 40. The upper face of these outwardly-directed portions form complementary guiding surfaces for the member or members 20. The bars 40 can also be welded or otherwise attached to the side walls 10.

In the modified arrangement depicted in FIG. 5 the side walls 10,10 are of modified sigma shape and connected to the floor 11 of the conveyor in the opposite manner to the above described installations with the upper and lower flanges, here denoted 50,51, being directed outwardly instead of inwardly.

Barrier plates 21 are attached to the side walls with theirlower edges terminating at the region of a flange 55. A central V-shaped groove 56 defined between the flange 55 and a flange 54 accommodates the securing devices as before which devices are combined With spacers 24. The plates 21 abut the end faces of the flanges 54,55 and of'the end regions 50' 51 of the flanges 50,51. Channels 52,53 are formed by the side walls 10 of the conveyor channel sectionsaand atthe outside of the walls and channels 57,58'are formed by the side walls at the inside of the side walls. The channels 52,53 serve to guide the scraper chain assembly of the conveyor.

Similarly to the other constructions a gap 28 is formed between the portions 25 of the cover plates 25 and the lower flanges 51 of the side walls 10. The gap 28 receives a reduced portion of the sword plate 19 and this reduced portion adjoins one or more guide members 20. The,'or each, guide member 20 has a projection 30 with a shaped profile matching that of the channel 53. The upper faces of the flanges 51 form complementary guiding surfaces for the projections 30 of the v member or members 20.

' conveyor channel sections at the other side of the con- 3. A mineral mining installation comprising a conveyor composed of a series of channel sections joined end-to-end, each channel section having side walls with an approximately sigma-shaped cross-section with inwardly-directed upper and lower flanges and a horizontal floor connected between said side walls, guide means disposed at the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at one side of the conveyor, generallyupstanding barrier plates attach ed'to the side walls of the conveyor-channel sections at the other side of the veyor, cover plates of generally C-shaped cross-section attached to the barrier plates and having upper and lower portions directed towards the conveyor, the

lower portions of the cover plates being of greater length then the upper portions and disposed to terminate beneath the lower edges of the barrier plates to form a laterally-open gap facing towards the one side of the conveyor spacers disposed between the barrier plates and the cover plates to form upper and lower guide channels, bars of rectangular cross-section attached to the barrier plates in the region of their lower edges and projecting into the lower guide channels, the bars having upper planar surfaces extending substantially parallel to the floors of the channel sections, a.

mineral mining machine guided for movement along the conveyor by said guide means, the machine having a sword plate extending beneath the conveyor, the sword plate having a reduced portion projecting through said gap and adjoining at least one guide member disposed in the lower guide channel, said guide member having a portion which extends over the bars and towards the barrier plates and has a lower surface conveyor, cover plates of generally C-shaped cross-- section attached to the barrier plates and having upper and lower portions directed towards the conveyor, the lower portions of the cover plates being of greater length than the upper portions and disposed to terminate beneath the lower edges of the barrier plate to form a laterally-open gap facing towards the one side of the conveyor, spacers disposed between the barrier plates and the cover plates to form upper and lower guide channels, the lower regions of thebarrier plates being bent outwardly from the conveyor into-the lower guide channel to form inclined surfaces withinsaid guide member disposed in the lower guide channel, said guide member having a portion extending over the bent regions of the barrier plate with an inclined surface extending parallel to the inclined surfaces of said regions and a drive chain for moving the machine, said chain being disposed for movement within said guide channels and connected to said guide member.

4. An installation according to claim 3, wherein reinforcing inserts are provided between the bent regions of the barrier plates and the adjacent sidewalls of the conveyor channel sections. 1 i

5. A mineral mining installation comprising a conveyor composed of a series of channel sections joined end-to-end, each channel section having side walls with an approximately sigma-shaped cross-section with outwardly directed upper and lower flanges partly defining upper and lower recesses disposed outwardly of the side walls, the side walls being connected. together with a horizontal floor, guide means disposed atthe side walls of the conveyor channel sections at one side of the conveyor, generally upstanding barrier plates attached to the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at the other side of the conveyor, the lower edges of the barrier plates terminating generally above the lower recesses of the side walls of the channel sections, cover plates of generally C-shaped cross-section attached to the barrier plates and having upper and lower portions directed towards the conveyor, the lower portions of the cover plates being of greater length than least one guide member disposed in the lower guide channel, the guide member having a portion which extends into the lower recesses of the side walls of the channel sections and has a lower surface extending generally parallel to the lower flange of said side wall and a drive chain for moving the machine said chain being disposed for movement within said guide channels and connected to the guide member. 

1. A mineral mining installation comprising a conveyor composed of a series of channel sections joined end-to-end, each channel section having side walls with an approximately sigma-shaped cross-section with inwardly-directed upper and lower flanges and a horizontal floor connected between said side walls, guide means disposed at the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at one side of the conveyor, generally upstanding barrier plates attached to the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at the other side of the conveyor, cover plates of generally Cshaped cross-section attached to the barrier plates and having upper and lower portions directed towards the conveyor, the lower portions of the cover plates being of greater length then the upper portions and disposed to terminate beneath the lower edges of the barrier plates to form a laterally-open gap facing towards the one side of the conveyor spacers disposed between the barrier plates and the cover plates to form upper and lower guide channels, bars of rectangular cross-section attached to the barrier plates in the region of their lower edges and projecting into the lower guide channels, the bars having upper planar surfaces extending substantially parallel to the floors of the channel sections, a mineral mining machine guided for movement along the conveyor by said guide means, the machine having a sword plate extending beneath the conveyor, the sword plate having a reduced portion projecting through said gap and adjoining at least one guide member disposed in the lower guide channel, said guide member having a portion which extends over the bars and towards the barrier plates and has a lower surface extending parallel to the upper surface of the bars, and a drive chain for moving the machine, said chain being disposed for movement within said guide channels and connected to said guide member.
 2. An installation according to claim 1, wherein the bars are disposed at the lower edges of the barrier plates and extend across said plates to form a T-shaped profile therewith, the adjacent side walls of the conveyor channel sections having recesses which receive the part of the bars projecting away from the lower channel section.
 3. A mineral mining installation comprising a conveyor composed of a series of channel sections joined end-to-end, each channel section having side walls with an approximately sigma-shaped cross-section with inwardly-directed upper and lower flanges and a horizontal floor connected between said side walls, guide means disposed at the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at one side of the conveyor, generally-upstanding barrier plates attached to the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at the other side of the conveyor, cover plates of generally C-shaped cross-section attached to the barrier plates and having upper and lower portions directed towards the conveyor, the lower portions of the cover plates being of greater length than the upper portions and disposed to terminate beneath the lower edges of the barrier plate to form a laterally-open gap facing towards the one side of the convEyor, spacers disposed between the barrier plates and the cover plates to form upper and lower guide channels, the lower regions of the barrier plates being bent outwardly from the conveyor into the lower guide channel to form inclined surfaces within said lower guide channel, a mineral mining machine guided for movement along the conveyor by said guide means, the machine having a sword plate extending beneath the conveyor, the sword plate having a reduced portion projecting through said gap and adjoining at least one guide member disposed in the lower guide channel, said guide member having a portion extending over the bent regions of the barrier plate with an inclined surface extending parallel to the inclined surfaces of said regions and a drive chain for moving the machine, said chain being disposed for movement within said guide channels and connected to said guide member.
 4. An installation according to claim 3, wherein reinforcing inserts are provided between the bent regions of the barrier plates and the adjacent side walls of the conveyor channel sections.
 5. A mineral mining installation comprising a conveyor composed of a series of channel sections joined end-to-end, each channel section having side walls with an approximately sigma-shaped cross-section with outwardly directed upper and lower flanges partly defining upper and lower recesses disposed outwardly of the side walls, the side walls being connected together with a horizontal floor, guide means disposed at the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at one side of the conveyor, generally upstanding barrier plates attached to the side walls of the conveyor channel sections at the other side of the conveyor, the lower edges of the barrier plates terminating generally above the lower recesses of the side walls of the channel sections, cover plates of generally C-shaped cross-section attached to the barrier plates and having upper and lower portions directed towards the conveyor, the lower portions of the cover plates being of greater length than the upper portions and disposed to terminate beneath the lower flanges of the adjacent side walls of the channel sections to form a laterally-open gap facing towards the one side of the conveyor, spacers disposed between the barrier plates and the cover plates to form upper and lower guide channels, a mineral mining machine guided for movement along the conveyor by said guide means, the machine having a sword plate extending beneath the conveyor, the sword plate having a reduced portion projecting through said gap and adjoining at least one guide member disposed in the lower guide channel, the guide member having a portion which extends into the lower recesses of the side walls of the channel sections and has a lower surface extending generally parallel to the lower flange of said side wall and a drive chain for moving the machine said chain being disposed for movement within said guide channels and connected to the guide member. 